Meet the Cato Print Designer: Suzanne!

Meet Suzanne! She’s an integral part of the Cato Print Design team that creates all of your favorite Cato exclusive signature prints. Not only is Suzanne a talented designer, she also manages our entire print team! Today she’ll be telling us all about her life at Cato as a print designer. Keep reading to learn more!

How did your love for creating prints and desire to become a print designer begin?

I have always loved anything relating to art and design and originally planned to study Interior Design in college. However, I quickly discovered that the fabrics, prints and colors were what I loved most and changed my focus to Textile Design. My first job led me to fashion and I have loved doing such creative, fun work! It is so rewarding to see someone wearing a print I designed!

When designing new prints, where do you look for inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere! I love to research online, blogs and Pinterest are great resources to finding imagery and ideas. I also visit a local vintage textile archive and pull lots of inspiration from our internal design library as well. My favorite is when we get to do some hands-on projects as a team, such as tie-dying! We’ve even turned this into a few Cato prints coming this summer!

We love the Cato signature Palm Frond Print! Where did the idea to feature this tropical leaf originate?

The tropical trend is huge this summer! I really loved this print as a feminine update to the traditional palm prints. The watercolor effect makes it soft and the neutral color makes it polished enough to wear to work but still fun and easy for the weekend!

Suzanne takes her sketches to the next level by tracing them into a digital format, ready to be tested on fabric!

What is the process for bringing a Cato print to life?

The print team begins each season by collaborating with our trend team to find out what trends they are planning for the season. From there we gather inspiration and make mood boards that inspire the prints we think will tell the trend story. As we begin to design the prints for the season, we are always collaborating with the apparel designers along the way to make the prints a perfect match to their designs!

Suzanne takes her sketches to the next level by tracing them into a digital format, ready to be tested on fabric!

What is your favorite print you have ever created for Cato?

I love paisleys, so I always have fun working on those! Once of my favorite prints coming this summer is a painted boho-style floral that really pops in orange and white, it feels so light and summery!

Suzanne puts the final touches on a digital print!

What other elements can we expect to see in Cato signature prints this summer?

This summer, in addition to our tropical prints, you will see watercolor tile-inspired medallions, soft painted stripes, bandana paisleys and hand-drawn geometric prints. I always love working on summer prints, they are always so colorful and fun!

Suzanne sketches out a few new paisley prints!

We hope you loved learning more about how Cato signature prints come to life from the team that creates them! Shop even more Cato signature prints online here! Want to learn about our other designers? Read interviews with our Dress Designer, Jewelry Designer and Shoe Designer here!

Shop these looks and even more of our exclusive Palm Frond print here!

Cato and other stores are missing sales to a large portion of our population. Since the baby boomers are aging, finding conservative clothing is almost impossible. Women in their eighties are still wearing clothes that are 20 years old because they have no clothing selections they prefer that being sold. This aging conservative group of folks want modest clothing with higher necklines and elbow length sleeves even in the summer. They prefer tea length skirts and dresses that are not so long that have to be altered. The newer fabrics and colors are great, it’s just the style of the clothing that misses the mark for this group of people.

I have shopped Cato’s store for years. I am a Real Estate Broker and own my own company on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I have a need to look professional at all times. Cato’s has always made it possible for me to look good on any given day. I get lots of compliments on ever thing I wear. Thank you for doing a great job.

Thanks for all the amazing print design. I am so hooked I and some of ladies that love Cato Fashion so much we get together once a month to do photo sessions on all the styles we love. I post them on my blog page Catomyway.blogspot.com my husband said I need to start a Cato Rehab and treatment center. Please keep up the good job.

Hello, my whole family shop’s at Cato’s. We live in Athens,AL. My mother, sister and I all wear denim skirts and the store here no longer carries them. I know several people who are upset about this. I was wondering if Cato’s will ever bring them back?

Hi Mechelle, we do carry longer length denim skirts online and in stores. However, they do sell out very quickly. We encourage you to check out our website and your local Cato for new longer length denim styles.